Accurate rendering of many real-world objects requires modeling subsurface scattering effects to capture translucent appearance. Examples of translucent materials include, but are certainly not limited to milk, ketchup, jade, marble, plastic, etc. One important class of translucent materials, including organic materials such as plant leaves and human skin, consist of multiple translucent layers. Human skin, in particular, presents a challenge for realistic rendering.
By approximating physiological layers of skin (e.g. epidermis, dermis, etc.) as locally homogeneous thin layers, for example, researchers have achieved realistic renderings. However, such realism comes at a cost. In particular, accurate simulations of multi-layer translucent material, such as skin, typically require much time to render. In addition, the scattering properties of each individual layer sometimes must be known or individually measurable.
There is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.